Remembering a great woman on Mother's Day

I shared this photo of my mother on Flickr on one of the mother's days. Today, on this mother's day, I am sharing it with my blog viewers to pay homage to this great woman who shaped my life and made me a man. Though she left us almost a decade ago, I still find her around me to guide me whenever I err and embrace me when I need a shelter.

Before I was myself you made me, me

With love and patience, discipline and tears,

Then bit by bit stepped back to set me free,

Allowing me to sail upon my sea,

Though well within the headlands of your fears.

Before I was myself you made me, me

With dreams enough of what I was to be

And hopes that would be sculpted by the years,

Then bit by bit stepped back to set me free,

Relinquishing your powers gradually

To let me shape myself among my peers.

Before I was myself you made me, me,

And being good and wise, you gracefully

As dancers when the last sweet cadence nears

Bit by bit stepped back to set me free.

For love inspires learning naturally:

The mind assents to what the heart reveres.

And so it was through love you made me, me

By slowly stepping back to set me free.


May she rests in peace up in the heavens and keep showering her love and affection on all us brothers, though one of us has already parted and joined her to give company to her and my father. May she and my father and brother (Gul Hameed Bhatti) rest in peace - always. Ameen.